Long Live the Rejects
by FantasticFicLad
Summary: Jaime and Kara bond after being kicked off the Teen Titans. Then came rock monsters. Slight Jaime/Kara


It wasn't often that the Titans kicked someone off the team

It wasn't often that the Titans kicked someone off the team. In a way, it was actually an honor, in a wierd way. It was even rarer for them to boot two people in the same day. It wasn't that Jaime had been surprised, exactly, when Robin told him he wasn't ready for membership. Sure, he had singlehandedly fought off a wave of brain-warping alien warlords and saved the team's bacon from their own evil future selves, but the Titans had a standard to uphold, and he didn't fit in. Considering that he hadn't even wanted to be a full-time Titan in the first place, he was surprised by how annoyed he was by the whole thing.

But more than that, he was surprised by what had happened to Supergirl a little earlier in the day. He had overheard(okay, he had been hanging out by the door hoping Supergirl and Wonder Girl would start making out) when he heard their conversation turn to a yelling match, followed by Kara being unceremoniously dismissed from the team because of Wonder Girl's own issues. And unlike himself, he could tell Kara had wanted to be a member of the team. Badly. And that's what brought Jaime to hover over Houston, waiting for the red-and-blue blur to streak past him again. He didn't know exactly what he was going to say to Kara when he found her, but he figured they were members of the same club now.

whoosh 27 minutes. Right on schedule. That was exactly how long it took Kara to fly in a circle around the Western US at just under the speed of sound. Jaime's Scarab engaged its thrusters and took off.

"Hey!"

Kara eyed Blue Beetle suspiciously. "What do you want?"

"...You know, I don't actually know. It just seemed like the thing to do. So, how're you holding up?"

"I'm fine. I'm flying in circles, looking for things that I can beat up and pretend they're my bitch-I-used-to-call-a-best-friend. You?"

"Sounds good. Think we could slow down a bit? I think my scarab's about to throw up."

Kara snickered. "You know, you don't have to follow me. Do we really even know each other? I think we spoke twice when we were on the Titans. And I always kind of got the feeling you were perving on me."

"Well, yeah. I kinda was. But at least I never stole your panties like Kid Devil did. So that's a point for me."

Kara and Jaime slowed to a halt over the Rocky Mountains. After a moment of silence, Kara raised her fist and smashed it into the side of the mountain, triggering a mini-rockslide. Jaime jumped back.

"Whoa! A little angry? I mean, I kind of wanted to wipe that smug expression off Robin's face too, but - "

"It's not the same. You didn't even want to be a Titan. You said so yourself. I finally thought I might belong somewhere. Instead, it turns out I'm just keeping the space warm for a dead boy. Serves me right for thinking I might actually have some friends." Kara turned away from Jaime. The last thing she wanted was for this boy she barely knew to see the tears in her eyes.

"I mean, who needs them, right? It's just like high school. They're the cool kids, and we're the misfits."

Kara smiled a little. "I remember high school. It wasn't for me. But at least you've got friends outside the Titans. You have a family. This isn't my world, and I've been trying to make it feel like home. But it's hard when no one seems to care."

"People care about you. I mean, Superman - "

"Is trying to give me my space. Which is boy-scout code for 'he has no clue how to talk to a teenage girl'. So I get Batman booby-trapping my apartment instead. I was just...really hoping I'd find somewhere I could call home. Titans Tower seemed like that place for a while. Guess it was too good to be true."

There was a moment of awkward silence as Jaime tried to think of what to say. Then, it was broken in the loudest way possible.

"FOOLISH FLESHLINGS! I AM KRAGNOR, KING OF ALL ROCKS! BOW BEFORE ME, SOFT ONES!"

Jaime and Kara stared up as the nearest mountain rose from the ground, revealing a particularly ugly face and about 12 giant arms, all ready to attack.

"Jaime?"

"Yeah?"

"Did that mountain just turn out to be a supervillain?"

"Yeah. I think it did. The sad thing is, this isn't even in the ten wierdest things that happened to me this week."

"WHY AREN'T YOU BOWING, FLESHLINGS?"

A wicked grin came across Kara's face. "Good. I've been looking for something big and ugly to work out some issues on."

Jaime watched as Kara flew into the air at the speed of sound. A second later, she streaked back down to the air, preparing to kick the ranting Kragnor in the face. Her foot made contact with the rock monster's face - and she promptly bounced off, crash-landing next to Jaime.

"HAH! TINY BLONDE GIRL IS NO MATCH FOR KRAGNOR, THE ALL WHO IS GRANITE!"

"Uh...Kara? Was that supposed to happen?"

Kara slowly picked herself up off the ground. "No. Stupid magical rock. Why is it always magic?"

"WHO WILL FACE KRAGNOR NEXT?"

Jaime ignored the ranting mountain. "You okay?"

"Ugh." Kara sat up and rubbed her throbbing foot. "It's my ankle. I'm vulnerable to magic, and I guess when I kicked him..."

"KRAGNOR WILL EAT LITTLE BUG MAN AND EXPEL HIM OUT KRAGNOR'S REAR CAVE!"

Jaime's Scarab promptly generated a series of massive cannons, fully charged with energy. "Do me a favor, Kragnor? SHUT UP!"

Jaime unleashed a volley of plasma cannon fire directly into Kragnor's face, shattering the monster's massive body and sending a shower of rocks crashing to the ground. Kara looked around.

"Is he...?"

"I don't know. I've never fought a giant rock before. Maybe he's - "

"WE ARE KRAGNOR!"

The hundreds of knee-high rocks each turned into mini-Kragnors and began beating at Jaime's legs. They were significantly less dangerous, but no less annoying. Jaime threw his hands in the air.

"Okay, I'm thinking this is a good time to call the local authorities and get the hell out of here. I get the feeling this is only going to get more bizarre."

Before Kara could protest, Jaime scooped her into his arms and took off into the sky, leaving the ranting mini-mountains below to throw rocks at them.

"You know, this really isn't necessary. I probably just bruised my foot or something. I can still fly."

"Sorry, my dad always taught me help a woman in need. Besides - " Jaime's Scarab beeped loudly twice "my Scarab's saying you've probably got a fractured ankle."

"Hey! Did I ask your bug armor to x-ray me?"

"Yeah, I don't exactly tell it what to do. It's kind of got a mind of its own. And right now, it's telling me we should probably go to the hospital."

"Great. Can we at least go to one where the papparazzi won't be swarming all over me?"

"El Paso sound okay? It's nice and sleepy."

Kara nodded and relaxed slightly in Jaime's arms. She just had to hope word of this never got back to the Titans, or she would never live it down.

"- and the hundreds of foot-tall rock creatures that ransacked Denver this afternoon have all been captured. No injuries reported, although many citizens are still shaken up. The creatures wish everyone to know that 'They are Kragnor.' "

Kara and Jaime watched the news report from the couch in Jaime's living room. Kara's leg, freshly wrapped in a cast, was propped up on the table in front of them.

"...Okay, so maybe we shouldn't have just left them there. But you were hurt. I stand by my executive heroic decision."

Kara smiled. "Thanks for letting me crash at your place till Superman gets back from space. The last thing I need is to try to hobble around my apartment solo, now that Cassie's gone."

"No problem. Mi casa es su casa. Besides, Milagro seemed thrilled to meet you."

As if on cue, Jaime's mother came in, dragging a pouting Milagro wearing a Supergirl shirt into the house.

"She was on the roof, planning to see if she could fly! I told her one Supergirl with a broken leg around here is all we need!"

Milagro crossed her arms. "I totally could have made it."

Jamie ruffled Milagro's hair as she was sent up to her room. Kara nibbled on some popcorn from the bowl on the table.

"Man, I hope it stops raining tomorrow. The more sun there is outside, the quicker I'll heal. At least, I think so. Kryptonians don't break bones often."

"Well, you've got your own private manservant while you're here. My mom would whack me upside the head if she saw you having to get anything yourself."

Kara played with Jaime's hair. "You're a really sweet guy, you know that? I wish we'd gotten to hang out more on the Titans."

"Yeah, me too. But nothing says we can't hang out now, right?"

Kara got a thoughtful look on her face. "You know...Cassie once told me it wasn't always like this. Before the Titans, being a superhero was fun. They just hung out, fought villains like Kragnor instead of psycho killers, and they didn't seem to be killing each other half the time. I kind of wish I had been around for that team."

"Hey, it's never too late. You'll find where you belong sooner or later."

Kara looked around the house. "At least you already have it. I mean, it's so wierd. I've never met a hero with so many people around him, all willing to help out. It's awesome."

Jaime grinned. "Yeah, I guess it kind of is."

Kara leaned over and softly kissed Jaime on the cheek. "Thanks for being a friend, Beetle. I really needed one today."

"Buh?"

Kara giggled and hopped to her feet, grabbing her crutches. "I'm going to get some sleep. Thanks for letting me have your bed."

"Buh?"

As Kara awkwardly made her way past the piles of clutter in the living room, Jaime's head spun. Had Supergirl just kissed him on the cheek? Did he really have a beautiful Kryptonian girl crashing under his roof? Maybe there were worst things than being kicked off the Titans. And then he thought about what Kara had said about the team before the Titans. He'd have to look into them more. As much as he didn't like to admit it, being on a team was kind of fun. And it was obvious Kara needed it. Maybe just not this team. Who said that every young hero had to join the Teen Titans?

Jaime went to the computer to google "Young Justice". He didn't sleep that night.


End file.
